By Marisa S. Chin-Calubaquib, Teacher
This past March, I had the opportunity to participate in the spring board meetings for the National Coalition for Campus Children’s Centers (N4C) as secretary of the organization. This nonprofit supports programs for children in higher learning communities through opportunities for leadership, professional development, research, networking, and advocacy. Immediately following the board meetings, N4C held its annual conference and professional institute in New Orleans, welcoming around 200 attendees, and I presented two interactive workshops: “Nature Play and Aesthetics: Organic Pathways for Holistic Learning” and “Reshaping the Look and Feel of Leadership in Early Childhood Education.”
My first presentation focused on clarifying conceptions of nature play and aesthetics while emphasizing their important role in young children’s holistic learning and development. This topic is of particular urgency given widespread concerns about learning loss during the pandemic, and the consequential focus on academics at an earlier stage. The aim was to encourage educators to see that they can nurture development in all areas by organically integrating nature play and aesthetics that promote an inquiry mindset, wonder, curiosity, and creativity—dispositions necessary for academic excellence and lifelong learning. The presentation included stories, activities, opportunities to discuss and share, photos of nature play and aesthetics in progress, as well as examples of how nature and aesthetics support different learning domains. I also drew from the work of educators from Reggio Emilia such as Lella Gandini, Claudia Guidici, and Loris Malaguzzi to describe and detail aesthetics, as well as the conservation and environmental education of Rachel Carson, Shelburne Farms, and others as they relate to nature play and its benefits to young children and adults alike. Shelburne Farms, a working educational farm in Vermont, has been a place of personal inspiration and growth where I have participated in and facilitated professional development focusing on education for sustainability; cultivating joy and wonder of the outdoors; and farm-to-school connections.
In my second session, I collaborated with three colleagues from other campus schools: Dana Keller Bush, chair of the Department of Applied Human Sciences at Eastern Kentucky University; Kelly Jamison, assistant director of the Collaboratory at the University of Florida; and Stacey Smith-Clark, director of the Pacific Coast Campus Child Development Center at Long Beach City College. This presentation explored the ever-changing field of early childhood education (ECE), the demands that face the industry, how leaders are being cultivated and forced to change how they direct and manage, and the impacts these changes will have on our campuses and in our communities. External changes trigger the need for internal changes as well. Leadership in ECE can be exhausting and demanding, but with variations in the types of care (including lab schools, center-based, pre-kindergartens, family home childcare, and Head Start programs) and the expectations of those served that differ from family to family, educators are also being forced to adapt. Most ECE professionals aspire to step up and be changemakers, advocating for best practices not only for children and their families but also for staff, students, and higher education partners. Lab schools lead the field for good reason and will be a guiding force for reshaping and reorienting ECE in the future.
This rich presentation considered four varied perspectives from across the country and how these educators and administrators adapted their concept of leadership within themselves, on their teams, and with those around them. Various approaches were shared, examples highlighted, and discussion built in. Topics included accountability in leadership; empowering individuals who are not in traditional “leadership” roles; the ability to diversify your program by reshaping your leadership approach; the value and importance of self-reflection and self-care; and the impact of re-envisioning not only on the individuals with whom you work but also in your program (the children, families, and overall success) and in the wider community.
I also attended several compelling conference sessions that complemented my presentations and promoted my own professional learning and growth. These included the keynote by Michelle Rupiper, formerly of University of Nebraska, entitled “Growing Forward: Reimagining Our Work,” which emphasized embracing lessons on resilience, reconnecting with our needs, revisiting our pedagogical roots, and redefining ourselves. Sylvia Kohn-Levitt and Daria Bandini of Brandeis University offered “Gardening Together: Building Community Connections and School Programs Through Environmental Education.” They explored how centers can use a garden space to grow relationships, funding, interdepartmental collaborations, and university-city goodwill, in addition to joy, outdoor skills, awareness of nature, and meaningful careers. Another informative session, “Designing to Support Teacher Well-Being and Reduce Turnover,” led by Mike Lindstrom and Joanne Hiromura of studioMLA Architects, discussed healthy early education workspaces and shared a wide range of thoughtful design and renovation strategies to improve teachers’ well-being and workplace satisfaction. Amy Bryan of the University of Texas at Austin and Amy Kay of the University of Georgia presented a workshop entitled “The Administrator’s Toolbox: Essential Skills for Reflective Leadership.” The speakers introduced strategies for self-reflection that could support participants in identifying the important interpersonal skills they already possess, areas for self-growth, and ways to integrate new skills into their professional interactions.
This year’s N4C conference and professional institute prioritized reflecting on the practices and skills honed while we were apart, particularly during the three years of pandemic when the conference was held online, while simultaneously celebrating the opportunity to reconnect with colleagues and programs that inspire and challenge. The organization also made a commitment to refine and refocus to better support and utilize campus children’s centers for the benefit of children, families, students, and the field of early childhood education at large—a commitment that was clearly in evidence in the many sessions spotlighting faculty collaboration and university connection, and reflective leadership and administration from noted programs.